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iPhone 6 vs HTC One M8: What Buyers Need to Know

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This month Apple released the highly rumored and much anticipated iPhone 6 with a bigger 4.7-inch display. The phone is finally here, available as we speak, and consumers are likely weighing all the options available this fall for a new smartphone.

In March HTC released what is arguably its best smartphone yet, the HTC One M8. And while it has been available for more than a few months, it stacks up quite nicely with the newly announced iPhone 6. While there are tons of options to choose from in 2014, below we’ll rundown a few things you’ll want to know about the iPhone 6 and HTC One M8.

Read: iPhone 6 vs LG G3: What Buyers Need to Know

The new iPhone 6 marks a major change for Apple. Both with a new and improved iOS 8, and the first major redesign of the iPhone in two years. The iPhone 6 and 6 Plus are both big, rounded on the sides, and look completely different from past models. At the same time, the HTC One M8 offers a very similar experience wrapped in a familiar unibody aluminum frame. Read on for everything you’ll need to know about both of these impressive smartphones.

i6vsM8

There are a lot of options for prospective smartphone buyers this fall, and more are coming soon with the Nexus 6 and Motorola DROID Turbo for Verizon. However, two that will likely catch consumers eyes walking into a carrier store are the iPhone 6, and the HTC One M8.

While we can’t make a decision for you, as everyone has different needs, wants, preferences, or budgets, we can provide you with details that could help you make a better decision before buying a phone and signing a new 2-year contract.

Design

Which metal phone should you buy? It’s a hard choice that consumers will have to decide on if they haven’t already, as they’re both impressive phones built to the highest standards. Not to mention much of the iPhone 6 stock is running low, so buyers may need to hurry and decide. However, lets look at the design of both these new phones.

The HTC One M8 is very similar to the model last year, but has been improved in many key areas to offer up plenty of competition against Apple’s new iPhone 6. The HTC One M8 has a unibody aluminum frame, similar plastic pieces around back for the radios, WiFi, and cell signals to be of good quality, and are overall two of the best phones available.

i6vsM8-4

This year the iPhone 6 isn’t squared off like previous models, and has a more rounded edge which is rather similar to HTC’s One M8. This makes it more comfortable to hold, but also easier to drop. And we all know how that can turn out.

Apple’s new iPhone 6 has aluminum on the entire back of the device, cutouts and slits on back are filled in with plastic for the radios and antenna’s, and plastic sides wrapping around to the face of the newly re-sized 4.7-inch display. It’s the second biggest iPhone ever, and has a sleek new design to go with it.

AT&T iPhone 6 upgrades without AT&T Next include a higher fee for some users.

Both HTC and Apple have made some of the best hardware in recent years when compared to LG, Samsung, and some of the other competition, so you really can’t go wrong with either of these phones in terms of design. They are both aluminum, built extremely well, and look like premium smartphones rather than plastic slapped on a big display.

If there’s one major thing that separates these two phones, it’s the front facing speakers of the HTC One M8. While all Apple devices have great sound, as many use them as their iPods, the HTC One M8 front facing speakers just can’t be matched.

Display

Speaking of displays, this is one of the more important factors many buyers will take into consideration. Even though the new iPhone 6 finally has a bigger 4.7-inch screen, the HTC One M8 is already bigger. Bigger without being much bigger in terms of physical size thanks to slim bezels.

i6vsM8-2

The display is a key selling point of any phone. After years of mocking Samsung for big screens, Apple has finally caved to consumer demands and released a 4.7-inch iPhone 6, and a huge 5.5-inch iPhone 6 Plus. It’s a step in the right direction, but still behind a lot of the competition unless you get the large iPhone 6 Plus.

One thing to consider between the iPhone 6 and the HTC One M8 is the screen size, and the resolution. The iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 (720p) HD display. The HTC One M8 though, offers a large 5-inch 1920 x 1080p Full HD IPS display. It will offer more screen real-estate, better images and crisp video, and likely be a slightly better visual experience for buyers.

 

We help you choose between the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus.

The iPhone 6 should technically offer a great experience though, as they always do, and the Retina HD display on the new iPhone has received heavy praise so far, even if it’s only 720p. Bottom line though is the HTC One M8 has a bigger and better display, one that may sway potential buyers to get it over Apple’s latest creation.

Specs

Comparing specs doesn’t mean one is better than the other, especially considering one is Android vs iOS. While we won’t go into the discussion of quad-core vs dual core (or iOS vs Android for that matter) below is the detailed breakdown of what both have to offer in terms of specs, and size. Take note at how similarly sized these two phones are, even if one offers a bigger display and front facing speakers.

HTC One M8 Specs

  • 5-inch 1920 x 1080p HD display
  • 2.3 GHz Quad-core Snapdragon 801 with 2GB RAM
  • 32GB internal storage (Micro-SD expansion support)
  • 4 Ultrapixel camera (new second Duo Camera) and 5MP front, dual flash
  • Android 4.4.4 KitKat with Sense 6
  • Front facing speakers, infrared port for remote
  • Brushed aluminum design
  • 2,600 mAh battery
  • 146.4 x 70.6 x 9.4 mm and 160 grams

iPhone 6 Specs

  • 4.7-inch 1334 x 750 HD IPS Retina Display
  • 1.4 GHz Dual-core Apple A8 processor with 1GB of RAM
  • 16/64/128GB storage, no micro-SD
  • 8 Megapixel rear and 1.2 front facing cameras
  • Meal design all around
  • Apple iOS 8
  • Fingerprint scanner with TouchID
  • 1,810 mAh battery
  • 138.1 x 67 x 6.9 mm and 129 grams

Pretty tight matchup here, right down to the Apple-like nano-SIM card HTC chose to employ. It’s safe to say this phone was built to battle the iPhone 6 and Samsung Galaxy S5, and it does a pretty good job at it too. The HTC One M8 is slightly taller (only a few mm) a little wider, and quite a bit heavier. However that gets you a bigger display, bigger battery, front facing speakers, and a few other things.

i6vsM8-3

One thing buyers should be aware of is storage. Apple never offers micro-SD cards for expandable storage, and HTC finally added a micro-SD card to the M8. Meaning storage expansion is easy and affordable. You get 16/64/128GB iPhone 6 options, vs a 32GB HTC One M8 with endless storage options.

Price

Speaking of storage, it brings us to our next and very important topic, and that’s the price. The iPhone 6 is expensive, just like all versions before it. Users will be paying a premium for more storage too, something that isn’t an issue with the HTC One M8. Without getting into it too much, here’s the breakdown.

  • iPhone 6 16GB – $199 on contract
  • iPhone 6 64GB -$299 on contract
  • iPhone 6 128GB – $399 on contract
  • HTC One M8 32GB – $149 on contract (Verizon)

Those are the important factors, but there’s also off-contract pricing for those interested.

  • iPhone 6 16GB – $649
  • iPhone 6 64GB – $749
  • iPhone 6 128GB – $849
  • HTC One M8 32GB – $599

The HTC One M8 offers more storage for a cheaper price on contract, or if you buy it outright, and by a pretty large margin. Adding a 64GB micro-SD card is rather cheap, and even a 128GB option will still have you only spending $100 more vs the huge $849 128GB iPhone 6 price tag. If you need storage space but are on a budget, consider the HTC One M8.

Camera

Apple’s phones have always had excellent cameras, and the new iPhone 6 promises to deliver the best experience yet. It’s still 8 megapixels, like previous years, but has been overhauled to deliver the best camera on any iPhone. That being said, HTC’s One M8 has a few tricks up its sleeve too. It features dual 4 megapixel cameras on the back for some neat focus effects after you take a photo, but the low megapixel count could worry some photo-centric buyers.

The HTC One M8 camera is extremely fast, accurate, and works rather well. However they chose 4 megapixels and two sensors in favor of a better camera, something they’ve received criticism over. Initial impressions on the iPhone 6 camera are excellent, so camera-focused buyers may want to wait this one out, or try them both in stores themselves.

iphone 6 plus gold

Apple’s TrueTone flash and 240 FPS slow-motion video capture could put it over the edge, but then again the HTC One M8 can record 4k video, has some neat post-processing effects you can do after you take the photo, and more.

Final Thoughts

Trying to compare iOS to Android is like comparing Apples to Oranges, and both have their respective fans, features, and things they both do well. What it all comes down to is pricing, carrier availability, and of course a users wants and needs. These phones are very impressive from the inside out, but buyers need to decide what is right for them. Do you want an iPhone, do you need more storage options, is a camera important? These are a few of the many key differences we mentioned above.

i6vsM8

What is clear though, is that the iPhone 6 is an impressive phone but has tons of competition in the Android space. Options from LG, Samsung, HTC, and even Sony have put them on notice.

We loved the HTC One M8 in our initial review, but in the end weren’t happy with the cameras overall performance. That’s only one complaint so its best you try them both in a store yourself before making such a big decision.

11 Comments

11 Comments

  1. atlgator

    09/23/2014 at 4:46 pm

    Oh yeah, and the M8 doesn’t bend in your pocket like a cheap POS.

  2. Paul

    09/23/2014 at 5:00 pm

    ios apps crash twice as much as android. This is a fact, google it. User experience is what I want. And yes it looks like that thin iphone is bending look for fractures in middle of phone. Or just don’t put it in your pocket. Another lousy user experience.

  3. Quickitus

    09/23/2014 at 6:28 pm

    It’s simple. If you don’t like the iPhone.. Then don’t buy the MF.

  4. Tricia

    09/23/2014 at 6:48 pm

    The HTC One M8 has 4 ultrapixels, NOT 4 megapixels. An ultrapixel allows 300% more light than a megapixel. More pixels do not make better photos, larger pixels do. Unless you are actually printing photos ultrapixels are best for mobile devices. HUGE DIFFERENCE! It also has the best front facing “selfie” camera that is 5 megapixels. I am astonished that you write for a mobile review site and got the duo camera specs all wrong for the device you are writing about.

  5. Jackson

    09/23/2014 at 6:51 pm

    It’s so awesome to see smug iPhone users marvel at the iPhone 6 when Android phones have been doing it right for a while. Now that HTC is shining and providing excellent phones (not necessarily including the camera), it seems like Apple is giving android phones a little deja-vu. This is bliss.

  6. Genesis

    09/23/2014 at 9:46 pm

    I personally love my HTC ONE M8, it’s battery life is amazing even better than my previous phone the Sony Xperia Z. There are so many great features on this phone and different ways you can customize it to your needs. Even better it has emojis so you don’t have to install any apps. It looks great and the size is just right!

  7. Al Padilla (@Onion_619)

    09/24/2014 at 7:21 am

    Writer did not mention the IR blaster that lets you use your phone as a remote for your TV, or the ZOE function which I use often to create short videos with a range of transitions and music. Easy to create, edit and share in moments.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucmcUKEB5rQ

  8. Wingnut

    09/24/2014 at 8:00 am

    Not to mention the flash is the same on both phones due to cross licencing agreement

  9. Chase

    09/24/2014 at 9:50 am

    Owner of an HTC One M8 here, the M8 does NOT record in 4K. And the ultrapixel thing is hardly noticeable, really wish they just put a 10+MP camera in it. Its pretty akward when I explain to my friend that my front camera is a higher resolution than the back.

  10. midinotes

    10/01/2014 at 8:59 am

    Another HTC m8 owner here. The HTC one m8 does not record 4K ( the sensor isn’t big enough) though for a 4 megapixel shooter it’s pretty impressive. It does though suffer from overexposure due to the sensitive sensor though focus is super fast. It’s an incredibly snappy phone though and makes iOS feel sluggish though you can’t beat the variety and quality of iOS apps.
    As a Mac user you would probably prefer the ease of syncing the iPhone to a Mac . Whilst the HTC software is an improvement over Samsung’s it’s still a painful and unreliable experience. The iPhone certainly has the superior camera and video and apps, whilst the HTC offers better personalisation and customisation, better value for money and some useful extra hardware such as the infrared blaster, good stereo speakers and audio recording, notification led and a micro sd slot.
    Simon

  11. mani

    10/27/2014 at 8:38 am

    ” HTC ” not a name it’s a ” multi national brand “

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